Thiago Silva has been suspended for six months for testing positive for marijuana metabolites following his third round submission victory over Stanislav Nedkov on November 10. If you are keeping track, that’s two suspensions over the course of Silva’s last three UFC fights.
The suspension was announced on UFC.com:
Thiago Silva tested positive for marijuana metabolites following his bout at UFC on FUEL TV in Macau. The UFC organization has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents. Silva has admitted to taking the banned substance and has agreed to participate in an approved drug-rehabilitation program and serve a six-month suspension retroactive to the November 10 event. He must pass a drug test upon completion of the suspension before receiving clearance to fight again.
Silva is the fourth UFC fighter to get popped for marijuana this year. Nick Diaz tested positive following his UFC 143 loss to Carlos Condit. Matt Riddle tested positive following his submission win over Chris Clements at UFC 149 and Dave Herman tested positive—his second positive test for marijuana—following a loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 153.
Riddle served a 90-day suspension for his positive test. Herman is in the process of serving a six-month suspension, while Diaz remains suspended until February 4, following his 12-month suspension.
Silva’s earlier suspension came following a unanimous decision win over Brandon Vera at UFC 125. That suspension was for one year after Silva handed in a urine sample that had been tainted by an adulterant.
The UFC’s statement does not indicate if Silva’s victory over Nedkov will be overturned to a no-contest, which is often the case when a fighter fails a drug test following a victory. If the win is overturned it will move Silva’s record to 1-3-0-2 in his last six fights after beginning his career on a 13-0 run.
One curious thing about all the aforementioned marijuana related suspensions is the varying time frames, from 90 days for Riddle to one year for Diaz. This discrepancy speaks to the fact that there is not one single body or set of rules overseeing the sport of mixed martial arts when it comes to positive drug tests, something that may prove problematic as the sport grows on an international scale.
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